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WHY: Dr. John Sheldon, M.D., radiation oncologist, and Dr. Jaswinder Singh, M.D., medical oncologist and Director of Clinical Trials at Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Research Medical Center, will use Netspot™, a newly approved radioactive diagnostic agent to help locate neuroendocrine tumors, in a patient with pancreatic and neuroendocrine cancer this week.

Dr. Syed Jafri, M.D., a gastrointestinal physician at Research Medical Center, diagnosed Laura A. in 2014 with pancreatic cancer/neuroendocrine cancer at the age of 49. Her case was presented at a weekly multidisciplinary cancer conference where many specialists attended and, following that, she had a private consultation with Research Medical Center specialists. Dr. Joe Cates, M.D., a vascular surgeon at Research, removed a baseball-sized tumor from Laura’s pancreas and also removed her spleen and gall bladder. This year Laura learned she has two new neuroendocrine tumors in her pancreas and liver. She will be the first patient in the Kansas City region to receive the breakthrough Netspot diagnostic PET imaging agent.

Neuroendocrine tumors, also known as NETs, are rare, benign or cancerous tumors that develop in the hormone-producing cells of the body’s neuroendocrine system. The cells are found throughout the body in organs such as the stomach, intestines, pancreas and lungs, among other locations. The Netspot treatment effectively detects tumors and metastases, not readily seen on other standard scans, revealing the locations of tumors.

“Accurate diagnosis and early detection are crucial to effective treatment of a rare cancer like neuroendocrine,” Singh says. “Netspot allows us to more accurately stage the disease thanks to the level of detail we are able to see. In turn, we can provide patients like Laura with a treatment regimen aimed at achieving better outcomes.”

Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Research Medical Center is the first and only Netspot imaging agent being used in the Kansas City region.

“Nearly 10,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with NETs each year,” Sheldon says. “The tumors are slow-growing but very likely to spread, primarily affecting abdominal and respiratory organs. The condition has been difficult to diagnose in the past because the cancer isn’t well recognized or understood across the medical community.”

Jackie DeSouza-Van Blaricum, Chief Executive Officer, Research Medical Center, says the advanced technology gives hope to patients with neuroendocrine tumors. “We are grateful to offer this to patients in the region. “It’s a critical technology to enable our physicians and cancer experts to have the best possible tools to treat patients like Laura.”

In addition to surgery, additional interventions for NETs include hormone therapy, radiation, among others, all offered at Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Research Medical Center in Kansas City.

For more information about Netspot’s advanced technology and the full spectrum of comprehensive cancer services offered by Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Research Medical Center visit http://researchmedicalcenter.com/service/cancer-care or call (816) 276-4262.